Even as the Cleveland Browns fall further behind the Pittsburgh Steelers in the standings, the rivalry between the two team's superstar pass rushers in Myles Garrett and TJ Watt rages on. Both players will lock horns with each other's teams twice more in the 2025 season.
The Browns withstood some disturbing trade declarations from Garrett in the offseason, ultimately giving him a new deal that made him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. Having seen that deal, it seems like Watt is going to demand another contract as he enters his early 30s.
Watt posted a picture of himself hitting what many read as a "peace out" display on Instagram on Wednesday. This prompted two very different reactions. Some are saying this is a complete nothing-burger, and some are declaring that Watt is one step away from asking out of Pittsburgh.
Steelers insider Mark Kaboly believes that Watt's choice of photo was not "just by chance." While he does believe an extension will get done, the price tag may be a bit higher than many expected. Reading the tea leaves, is it fair to say that Watt could be asking out if he doesn't get the deal he wants?
In a truly cruel ironic twist, if the Steelers don't end up meeting or exceeding the contract Cleveland handed out to Garrett, there's a good chance that Watt could end up forcing his way out of town. Are the Steelers willing to give out a contract that rivals what Garrett got?
Browns' Myles Garrett contract could lead to Steelers shopping TJ Watt
Garrett had a slight edge over Watt last season in terms of performance. While Watt tallied an NFL-best six forced fumbles and 11.5 sacks (good for second-team All-Pro and fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting), Garrett was First Team All-Pro after piling up 14 sacks and an NFL-best 22 tackles for loss.
Garrett's four-year, $160 million extension includes $123 million in guaranteed money. Garrett is a full year younger than Watt, but that shouldn't likely impact Watt's AAV price tag that much. The Steelers are only 23rd in allocated cap resources and 31st in dead cap, so they have the financial flexibility to pay him.
However, if they can't agree on a price, Watt may be implying that he is willing to call time on his tenure in Pittsburgh. After all these years, wouldn't it be quite rich and delicious irony for Garrett's contract to ultimately be what ends Watt's time with the Steelers?